I have been looking at the New Defender 90 (Puma), and I was just wondering what the general feeling of the vehicle was?
The salesman at Land Rover has assured me that they have sorted out all the reliability issues, and this is definitely the Land Rover to buy
What do the people with all the knowledge have to stay?

Replaced my Td5 with a Puma 110 SW in December, done 13000km, 2000km Natal North Coast round trip, lots of it off-road, 2000km Lady Grey-Nelspruit round trip with a 2.5 ton load, 2100km round trip through CKGR, a 400km round trip with a boat on the roof, the usual weekend farming which includes loading, towing, winching, off-road work, and a lot more...

Has the same or marginally better capabillities than Td5, TC is a bonus.

The big difference for me is it's open road cruising abillity, the engine is quiet enough so that wind and road noise becomes an issue, it also sits at 120km/h with a lot more ease than Td5 and it reaches it's 140km/h(on the clock) limiter very easily, feels as if it will pull all the way to 170km/h if it had no limiter.

A lot of small ergonomic changes make it a more comfortable place to be. It is still a little way off most other SUVs and duo cabs from a comfort and on road performance point of view, not as far behind as it was though. It is still a Defender and for commuting and if it is not going to be used for it's strengths there are still better vehicles to consider(including Hi-Lux).

I have had 0 mechanicall problems, not even a nigle, not that I have had many problems with any of my other Defenders (****), which is unusuall for a new vehicle of any brand in my experience. The Puma motor, although modified for use in Defender, is a tested and very highly regarded motor, it is also not running to it's maximum tune so it should be very reliable. I don't know if they've used the same gearbox that they normally match to the motor? I read an article that sugested so by implication. If so, it is also a tested and highly regarded 'box.

LRs(Pta) service levels have improved, that has IMO been LRs problem biggest in the past, still not where they should be(working off very a low base) but getting there, seems to be a problem with most brands though. We found with my mother's D3 that spares still seem to be a problem.

I was sceptical when I bought it but I am now very satsfied that I have made the correct decision.

Was on a trail with one and it seemed to cope with obstacle much more easily than the Defenders and Disco 2s. No wheels spinning and the general commotion the associated with difficult obstacles. Very quite to.

We also got a red ninety (i MEAN ITS MY WIFES)that had the same oil leak.

Took the car in to a Dealer In centurion, at 08h00 -- collected it at 12h00 fixed and clean.

We are very happy with the new motor -- spoke to some mates in the UK when I heard it was a FORD MOTOR in the white vans on mud island-- they said the guys find it extremely reliable and wouldnt expect anything under 300 000 miles from it.

The gearbox is a Getrag box with a new improved "Q" lt230 Transfer box.

The two main objectives of this new car was NVH and HEVAC.
The gearbox now has 3 bearings on the main shaft (one in the centre, as a carrier bearing as well) to remove most vibration.

The AC and heater has massive improvement (although any improvement would be massive in this area)

I also have my own TD5 D/C with 90 000 on the clock, which to this day has never given a single problem, or a cent spent on warranty -- man i love this car.

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Just had an update from the LR dealer: the vacuum pump is now on back-order, as no dealer has it in stock, and should arrive in about three weeks time.

I spoke to a guy who works at Ford Motor Corporation, he is quite high up and has an idea as to what is going on in the company world wide.

According to him, the spares problem at the moment is probably due to the fact that Tata do not want to use Ford wharehousing for spares until the spares are used up, they are actually moving all the spares from Ford wharehouses to their own, this is, as can be expected, causing some logistical problems.

Mate of mine bought one a couple of months ago and had problems with a noisy rear diff. After the dealership having it longer than he has had it he has it back with a new diff and same noise.

Mine also has what sounds like a noisy rear diff when coasing on a downhill, sort like a type of a droning, the dealer says it is normal, the noise has not got any worse after 16000km so I am not too concerned, not while the vehicle is under warantee anyway.

Mine also has what sounds like a noisy rear diff when coasing on a downhill, sort like a type of a droning, the dealer says it is normal, the noise has not got any worse after 16000km so I am not too concerned, not while the vehicle is under warantee anyway.

Took my vehicle in on Monday for a 20 000km service.

They replaced the vacuum pump, did wheel alignment and balancing and used chassis ears on the diff.

I collected it this morning, it was ready yesterday, and they have ordered me a new diff, they will call me when the diff is there and it will be a days fitment.

I must say, I am pretty pleased with the service I have recieved, I was kept updated and they let me know on Monday that the vehicle would only be ready on Tuesday.

Also all the warantee work was done no questions asked, they even gave the vehicle a proper wash inside and out, not just the normal service wash and go.

Bought mine during May 2008, Done round trip of 5500 Km to Namibie and back. No problems with this Defender 130. I owned 7 Defender before, From the 200TDi to the TD5. Only one, thr 300Tdi gave gearbox problems at 189000 km. I did not worry about it as the vehicle was used ons a daily basis on a road construction site as well as Land survey work in mountains. Of all my Landrovers I am the most happy with the 130 Puma, We used it as a hunting vehicle in the Khomas Hochland, the 130 done very well.

I collected it this morning, it was ready yesterday, and they have ordered me a new diff, they will call me when the diff is there and it will be a days fitment.

They replaced the diff last week, the noise is still there, the gearbox/clutch area has developed a rattle.

I took the vehicle back on Monday to have a look at the diff again, I collected it on Tuesday, they told me the diff drone was gone, it is still there, they will replace the clutch to get rid of the rattle as soon as the stock arrives next week they say, there is a bulliten out for the rattle BTW.

I am now going to take the vehicle to Centurion to see if they can diagnose the drone more effectively than what Menlyn did (can/didn't!).

They replaced the diff last week, the noise is still there, the gearbox/clutch area has developed a rattle.

I took the vehicle back on Monday to have a look at the diff again, I collected it on Tuesday, they told me the diff drone was gone, it is still there, they will replace the clutch to get rid of the rattle as soon as the stock arrives next week they say, there is a bulliten out for the rattle BTW.

I am now going to take the vehicle to Centurion to see if they can diagnose the drone more effectively than what Menlyn did (can/didn't!).

LR are convinced that the drone is resonance form somewhere and is not something to be concerned about, I'll agree to disagree and accept it as that, the vehicle still has 75000kms before the warantee runs out if the problem becomes worse, which it seems to be.

They replaced the rattling clutch, the gear lever is no longer spring loaded so it does not return to the middle automatically, it is also so stiff that it is dificult to change gears and I often have to skip 4th and go straight to 5th because I can't get it into 4th, the clutch takes very low now and sometimes I need to pump it to change gear. There is also a strange new humming sound imminating from the gearbox.

It was better with the rattle!

It is back an LR.

The cherry on the top is that my Freelander (2008 FL2 with 6000km on clock) has also been in the workshop for a week due to a heating/software problem that can not be resolved.

I left the vehicle at the dealer on Thursday night, it was ready on Friday, I collected it this morning and the gear lever is back to normal.

The clutch is taking a little lower than before but it is normal and working.

The rattle is gone and the new strange sound is gone.

My vehicle is back to normal and I am a lot happier today than on Thursday evening, it would have saved everyone a lot of trouble if someone just bothered to test the vehicle before telling me it is ready.

The droning sound is still there and I still supsect it is the rear diff.

They are replaceing some temprature control unit on the Freelander and I was supposed to collect it today, I suppose I'll get it tommorrow.

I'm operating on a private Concession in the Kruger National Park, we have 8 Land Rovers running around here in the bush and bought 2 new Pumas last year. We did the normal Game Drive conversion and exept for that they are still stock standard. We're experiancing the same problems as the rest of the guys but what blew my top was when both their cluthches went before they even reached 30 000km. I've had three oil vacuum pumps fitted to these Landies also before 30 000km were reached. As I'm in the Lodge industry I know a lot of people that uses the new(Improved) Puma. It's scary to hear the problems that the guys are experiencing with brand new Pumas. On the Td5's we're having lots of problems with diesel pumps and fuel relays.

Autobox in Koedoespoort have diagnosed the droning sound as play on the splines (and bearing) of the rear propshaft, I have contacted Land Rover and they will order me a new propshaft.

It is a confirmed diagnoses because we replaced the existing shaft with a second hand Td5 shaft and the droning dissapeared completely.

The propshaft has a spline design that I have never seen before, it is a normal spline with a bearing at the end (a cylinder with steel balls embeded in it pressed on to the end of the spline).

It took Autobox half a morning to diagnose something that LR couldn't diagnose in 25000km and almost a year.

I have owned my vehicle now for 38500km and a year and about 4 months, there is finally a bulliten out on what has become known as a 'grooling' sound experienced by many Puma owners.

I hope that this is the problem so that LR can sort it out, I will be going to the dealer so that they can check my vehicle tommorrow so that they can order spares to be fitted at the 40000km service if nessecary.

Just appeared on the GTR: SSM40851Defender Front and Rear Propshaft Grease Points

Action: If any propshafts are identified where the grease nipples are missing, then the propshaft should be replaced. Any cases where the grease nipples are in place but loose should be torqued to 8Nm + 45degrees.

These were posted some time ago, so I like to ask similar questions in 2009 from LR Puma owners - more specifically the 90 as to general impression, towing capabilities, consumption and specifically any adverse reliability issues so far ?

I will be doing a full report on the Puma 90, i.e. towing, problems, gearbox, consumption and off road abilities end of October 2010. I bought mine three months ago and she will have 20,000 Km on the clock by that time.

On the Td5's we're having lots of problems with diesel pumps and fuel relays.

what is your source of diesel?
if you are running suspect commercial grade diesel or have problems with bacteria in bulk tanks, you could be shooting yourself in the foot.
do you fill from a bulk tank above ground?
many a Td5 has had damage as a result of suspect diesel.

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0833006099

I will be doing a full report on the Puma 90, i.e. towing, problems, gearbox, consumption and off road abilities end of October 2010. I bought mine three months ago and she will have 20,000 Km on the clock by that time.

sorry.
just thinking out loud!
has anyone ever had a sunroof fitted to their Defender.
"i will not leave home without my :" sunroof.
it is a blessing in the Disco. creates a nice flow of air through the cab.

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Land Rovers never die, they simply become organ donors!
0833006099

I would want to check this myself, just to make sure...where would I find those grease nipples, I'm thinking next to the "nuckels" on the props, I'm no expert @ all, anyone perhaps have a pic?
Would not want to miss out on the oppertunity to get them replaced if they need to be...thanks...Btw, mine is a 2008

Just appeared on the GTR: SSM40851Defender Front and Rear Propshaft Grease Points

sorry.
just thinking out loud!
has anyone ever had a sunroof fitted to their Defender.
"i will not leave home without my :" sunroof.
it is a blessing in the Disco. creates a nice flow of air through the cab.

Sounds like a great plan Wonder how much it would cost My defender gets Hot inside , a sunroof should make a difference